Batteryshell Bullets
by Kate Annex
Summary: California, 2019. The Fabulous Killjoys in their ploy against the corrupted power trying to wash their minds. My Chem featuring Panic! at the Disco, Paramore, Fall Out Boy, and others.
1. Chapter 1

_**Batteryshell Bullets**_

**-Prologue-**

"_Hey, what's that?"_

"_Looks like… is that a kid?"_

"_We should check-"_

"_Prolly dead. Come on, let's go."_

"_No, look."_

"_Come on, man. We don't need a kid."_

"_So you're just gonna leave her?"_

"_Well, I mean, no… but…"_

"_Hey, hey, can you hear me?"_

"_Man, she's dead."_

"_Shut the hell up. Use your eyes, dumbass. What's your name, sunshine?"_

"_Oh my god…"_

"_Come on. Pick her up. Let's go."_

**-Chapter 1- Fun Ghoul's POV-**

"Hey Ghoul," a high pitched female voice chimed. I looked up from the magazine I was absently staring at. It was an old anti BL/ind propaganda magazine made about a year ago. It was the one thing I actually enjoyed reading. Too bad they're dead now.

"Hey Sunshine," I greeted the frizzy haired little girl. Despite the heat that was killing all of us, she still wore her bulletproof vest and little jacket. Jet Star was constantly yelling at me for rolling my sleeves up or not wearing a bandana. But what the hell. I could deal with the burns.

I reflected her smile with an equally beaming one. "What's up?"

"I dunno…" she sang, shrugging dramatically.

"Sounds like fun."

"Not really…" she sighed. A 10-year-old kid in the middle of a desert… No wonder she was bored. I was more than twice her age and bored as fuck. I nodded in agreement and stared off at the wavy, dead scenery. No fucking life anywhere. The plants were dead, cars didn't drive by…

I squinted. Coming over a hill were two shadowy figures. Not dead enough, apparently. "Ah, shit…" I grumbled, standing up. "Come on, get inside." I hurried her into the station.

"Guys, we've got company!" I shouted, scrambling for my gun. I _never_ left the damn thing just lying around. Where the hell was it? Kobra Kid, who had been sleeping in a booth with an arm over his face, shot up. His aviators were falling half off his face, and his string blond hair was a matted mess.

"Shit, how many?"

"Two, I think. There over on the hill."

"Dracs?"

"I dunno." We ran out and into the other building- our main base.

"Poison, Jet Star, two assholes are on the hill," the Kid said. Party Poison was intently listening to the radio through the old headset. He held a wrinkled frown and just stared at it. Poor guy. He and Jet Star both turned at the sound of the Kid's voice.

"What are they doing?" Jet Star asked.

"Dunno, Ghoul saw them." He shrugged.

"There's just two guys on the hill. That's all I saw," I explained. Wasn't much of an explanation though.

"Where's Sunshine?" Jet Star asked. I jutted my thumb behind me.

"In the diner, she's safe." Party Poison pulled his bandana up around his face and hurried out the back. Kobra Kid followed and started out of the swinging door board, stopping halfway. I heard hushed speaking from outside.

"What the hell are you doing? Stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you."

"I don't want you dead. Stay."

Kobra Kid shook his head and came back inside.

"You just let him go? _Alone_?" I asked. "Damn motherfucker's gonna get himself killed."

"He'd be offended to hear you say that," Jet Star observed, raising an eyebrow. I clenched my teeth and stormed out back. Sure enough, Party Poison was crouched near the corner of the far building behind an old dumpster, brandishing his gun. I crouched and ran over to him.

"Ger-"

"_Shh_!" he reprimanded, looking out to the hill. The figures were drawing closer. "Don't use my name, idiot. Get back inside."

"The hell I will." I squatted beside him and squinted at the figures. "They don't look like Dracs." You could recognise the Draculoid figure, even from far away; all white with a fuzzy patch of black that stood up on top of their heads. BL/ind used the fucking vampire masks just to spite us.

But these figures were darker, and didn't move with the force and systematic steps Dracs would.

"Gee…"

"_Party. Poison._"

"Fuck you. They look like Killjoys." We were silent for another moment and just watched them. All of a sudden, his posture loosened, and he stood, going back inside.

"They don't look like Dracs," he told the anxious Jet Star and Kobra Kid.

"Killjoys?" Jet Star inquired.

"I think so. Not any I recognise. I'm gonna go out and check." This time when I tried to follow him, he gave me a knowing glare, so I stayed behind.

After a long period of trepidation and silence, Party Poison re-entered; this time followed by two people.


	2. Chapter 2

**-Chapter 2- Fun Ghoul's POV-**

_Killjoys_. Two girls walked in- one had rusty red-orange hair covered with a bandana. The other was a blonde (but not a real one- her brown roots showed through and laced in with the rest of her hair… like the Kid's) who removed a black bike helmet upon entering. They both were adorned in general Killjoy wear- leather jackets, thick jeans, boots… It didn't take long to notice… they were sisters.

"So, what's your names?" Gee asked, thoroughly enticed by the two. He smirked slightly, but not in a mean way. Flushing, I realised I was becoming jealous and turned away.

"Silent Lightening," the blonde introduced, absently flipping her too-long bangs from her face. _That's _my_ move_, I thought to myself in secret disdain.

"Funny name," I observed sternly, my arms tight over my chest. She snapped her eyes from Party Poison and planted them icily on me.

"What's so funny about it?" She squinted hard at me. I could've sworn her eyes turned bluer.

I shrugged. "Dunno. Just some kinda shit-" I was cut off from my snide comment suddenly when I felt a hot pressure between my eyes.

"Everyone can see lightening," she hissed, digging the barrel of the gun into my skin, "But they're dead before they hear the thunder." The pressure released, but I still kept my gaze fixed on her as she backed off. Kobra Kid snickered from behind Gee, and I shot him a look of death. He didn't take it seriously though and continued smiling and shaking his head.

"What about you?" Jet Star asked, nodding towards the other girl. She was quiet, but not without a fixed, stern expression of her own. I did notice that she kept taking side glances at Kobra Kid a lot. It was my turn to snicker.

"Rip Wing," she introduced simply, dipping her head (in Kobra Kid's direction… who would've guessed).

"Specialty?" I asked. My face still burned watching Party Poison's eyes on the Lightning chick.

"Staying alive," she responded, fixing her eyes on me stoically. Hers were a chocolate brown- drastically different compared to her sister's.

"Fair enough…" I said absently, trailing off. Man, I couldn't focus. Between the heat and my jealously…

"Well, welcome to the crew then," Gerard introduced, "I'm Party Poison, this is my lil bro Kobra Kid, ace man over there's Jet Star, and he's-"

"Fun Ghoul," I finished for him. "I can damn well introduce myself." And with grumbling that, I yanked back the door board and sprinted the fuck out of there.

**-Rip Wing's POV-**

"S'matter with him?" my sister asked, nodding towards the squeaking board swaying back and forth. Party Poison and the Kid shrugged in unison- they really were brothers- and a heavy gloved hand clapped me on the shoulder. It took all I had against my instincts not to whip around and shoot the unfortunate motherfucker in the face.

"It's just Ghoul," Jet Star said apologetically. "You kinda hafta ignore his shit." My sister snickered.

"Guy sure _thinks_ he's the shit," she said snidely, rolling her eyes. Party Poison reddened and glanced at his boots, shuffling uncomfortably. Hastily adjusting himself before anyone would notice (too late), he looked back at her and shook his head.

"He's great, really. I mean, typically he's funny and sweet and-"

"No need to describe your boyfriend to me," she interjected, " I got it." At this comment, poor Party Poison's face turned as red as his hair.

"_Lightning_…" I reprimanded her, appalled, but not really. It was like her to say something like that, but it didn't mean she _should_.

"He's not… we're just…" he stuttered. Silence followed and everyone shifted about awkwardly, pretending to be deeply interested in pieces of our clothing. Except my sister, of course, who continued to stand there pompously. How _embarrassing_.

"It's cool, bro," she said, walking by and slapping his back, "You're not the only one who missed the hetero boat." The door board swayed again violently with her exit.

"And then there were four," Kobra Kid muttered under his breath, concentrating intently on picking his nails.

"Actually, just three," Jet Star said. "Sorry guys, I gotta go set up for the new girls. And check on Sunshine. Nice to meet you, Razor. Have f…" He stopped himself, realising that this wasn't exactly the definition of "fun." Smiling awkwardly, but genuinely, he clomped down a flight of stairs disguised by a flag.

"I should… prolly go help," Party Poison muttered. But he didn't go down the stairs, but instead left through the board, leaving just Kobra Kid and me. Oh, sweet Jesus, this _would_ happen.


	3. Chapter 3

**-Chapter 3- Fun Ghoul's POV-**

"Stupid fucking girl," I grumbled, kicking an empty can of Power Pup. "Thinking I had a goddamn chance. _Stupid_." I kicked the can again, but this time it came back and bumped into my feet.

"I _knew _you had a thing for him." The Lightning chick was leaning against a pay phone and smirking. I clenched my gloved fists.

"You fucking-"

"Hey. Calm your tits, man. It's cool. I'm fine with it."

"Did you even _see_ how he was looking at you?" I fumed, desperately trying to stifle my distressed fury.

"Fun Guy-"

"_Ghoul_."

"Ghoul Guy, I _know_ about dudes. And he wasn't looking at me like anything. And hell, if he was, he's kinda in for a rude awakening." My tension faded somewhat- but only _somewhat_.

"Wait… so, you mean you're not straight?" I asked, hoping that's what she was getting at.

"Straight as you is, bro. Hell, maybe even less. But who the fuck cares. Point is, you _love_ him."

Hearing this, I totally went weak. I had never said the words aloud before… I had a hard time even _thinking_ them. But here they were, coming from this chick's mouth who I had met not even an hour ago.

"Fuck," I moaned, my voice cracking, "Is it that obvious?"

"Lil bit," she responded sarcastically. I swore again and grabbed my hair. Ray- Jet Star- was right… I really did need a haircut. He was a hell of a one to talk though with his huge poufy afro… My attention faded out with worry and thoughts scattered everywhere. She noticed and reeled me back.

"If it's any consolation though… I'm pretty sure it's mutual."

"Yeah?" I laughed to mask my faltering, hopeful voice. "And what makes you so goddamn sure."

"I know love when I see it." She shrugged. "If I was you, I'd go do something about it before it's too fucking late and he's dead."

**-Agent Wentz's POV-**

The one place without the patrolling cameras- the conference room. Some of the all-white clad agents were murmuring to each other with pointless small talk while others on their phones and others still sitting stoically, waiting for the stupid thing to begin. Naturally, I was the latter.

The doors burst open and everyone shuffled into stillness. Agent Korse marched his way to the head of the table, followed by the silent entity of a tall, Asian woman with sharply cut black hair in a bob. Korse sat, and she took position standing beside him, clasping her hands behind her back and looking straight on.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you to President Sato of Better Living Industries in Japan," Korse began. Mild applause followed, and she bowed her head. "She will be joining us on the account of missing person 395 of sector 2. As some of you are new to this program, I will elaborate." Korse shifted in his seat, and fussed with a page of his notes. President Sato's eyes landed on me, and I watched as a small, almost invisible smirk curled up one side of her mouth. I swallowed hard in intimidation and looked away.

"Missing person 395- showing here…" Korse held up a mug shot of the girl- poufy brown hair, light brown skin, the collar of a colourful coat showing. "…10 years old, female, four feet five inches tall." He passed the photograph around the room, most everyone boredly passing it along. It was nothing new, most of us had seen it.

"She is immune to the regulated medication- a mystery to the corporation. Naturally, we would need to keep her to further investigate this… But as it is, she has been abducted by _these_ criminals." He passed out more mug shots. "They call themselves the 'Fabulous Killjoys'- modern day pirates, if you will. Our goal is to retrieve the girl, and eliminate these… Killjoys."

"With all due respect, sir," someone interjected, "We have been on their case for quite some time… is there any-"

"If you are asking the importance of the meeting, Agent F27…" Korse interrupted, rubbing his temple. Anyone else could've warned the guy not to talk without being directed to. "…It's a, hmm, _welcoming party_ for our new members. Getting them acquainted. And why have you been brought here? To introduce you to President Sato. Any other questions; issues, agent?" Everyone at the table turned to look towards were the voice came from- a pudgy looking blond guy whose face was now scarlet with embarrassment.

"No, sir. Thank you," he muttered, turning dejectedly to his own notes. He must have been at least relatively new; I hadn't seen him before. Korse leaned back in his chair and President Sato whispered something to him.

"Yes, thank you," Korse said in response to her unheard message. "You all have new assignments- a lot of you are to do field work now. Agent D20…" He put his eyes on me firmly. "…You are in charge of a field crew now. Agents F27, D31, D17, F33- you will receive a schedule from me and return to your mentor for training at a later date- tomorrow." I nodded at his words absently, but swallowed, jostling a lump in my throat. That's _all_ he was going to tell me? I had nothing to work with!

"Thank you. Meeting adjourned. D20 and those I mentioned, please remain here to greet your… _friends._" Korse swiftly stood and marched out of the room, followed by President Sato. Everyone else filed out, a couple even offered a side look of condolence.

The door clicked, leaving four pairs of eyes staring at me in silence. I figured a proper greeting was in order. I cleared my throat.

"Uh… hi."


	4. Chapter 4

**-Chapter 4- Party Poison's POV-**

"Ghoul?" I called out. "Hey!" I turned around the shack and squinted into the sun. My eyes adjusted, and I found him sitting beside a pay phone. Silent Lightening was walking in my direction away from him. She saluted me with an eyebrow pop, and kept on marching. I didn't pay her much mind though, and continued towards Ghoul.

"Hey. What's up with you?" I asked, crouching beside him. His bangs fell over his face and he was polishing his gun with a torn rag. "Come on, asshole. I know you're not actually cleaning that." I tried to grab the rag from him and he jerked back.

"Leave me alone. Please," he mumbled, shaking his bangs to cover his face even more.

"Frankie..." At this, he looked up.

"Not supposed to use our real names, _remember_?" he replied harshly.

"What is it?" I asked him softly, "The girls?" He looked back down to his gun, but I could see his blush. My throat tightened. No. He couldn't have feelings for them. Please. No. "They… do you… like them, or something?" I asked awkwardly.

"I dunno. Do _you_?" My jaw dropped involuntarily at this.

"What? No. Of course not… Why would I…"

"So you have no feelings at all."

"No." He scrubbed furiously at his gun, avoiding my eyes. I swallowed. "Not for them." His rag ripped and he cursed, throwing it aside. Finally, he met my eyes.

"Then… then who?" he asked, stuttering. I bit my lip. The whole event seemed very… high school-ish.

"Take a guess." I smirked, trying to stay calm.

"Well…" Frank stared, absently picking at his nails, "It can't be the Kid since he's your bro… and not Jet Star 'cause he's just… nah. I mean, that only means…" He stopped, avoiding saying it, even though he was smiling. "Me," he whispered.

"Damn straight."

"Not really." We both snickered and I brushed his bangs aside. I really wanted to kiss him right there, but… it just didn't seem the right time. Ghoul didn't hesitate though, and tackled me to the ground, laughing. He leaned into my face. He was soft, though tasting of the same sweet sweat and dirt that covered all of us. Finding drinking water was hard enough, so baths were counted out entirely.

We broke apart when something collided against my head- my blue and white MouseKat mask. I turned to see Kobra Kid with his arms crossed some distance away.

"Hey, love fucks, you're gonna get your asses radiated if you don't cover your heads- yeah, the ones on your shoulders too. We're headed off for the park." Embarrassed, I split from Ghoul and my brother marched off back inside. Ghoul was flushed, so I gave him my bandana.

"Put this on," I rushed in the sudden, heated embarrassment, "Let's go."

-**Rip Wing's POV-**

"How long have you guys been stationed here?" I asked Kobra Kid. He shrugged and walked over to a swivel chair, offering me a seat. I denied it and he sat, shrugging again.

"Quite a while, actually. My bro and I used to work here at the Dead Pegasus… Our mom owned the diner for… ever. Kinda a family thing. It only seemed right." I nodded and walked around, eyeing my surroundings. A flag with the American widow (the Killjoy mascot- a sharp spider with a lightning bolt instead of the black widow mark) painted over in black hung on a wall over a desk covered in a menagerie of odds and ends.

"Yeah… Party Poison'd work on cars… I'd just change oil and shit- easy stuff. He was always better with building and art, you know."

"What are you good at?" I asked, absently running a finger over a dusty target practice dummy covered in ray gun blast marks. Kobra Kid shrugged again, a motion he seemed to enjoy doing a lot.

"Bass- I played for a while. Poison can sing sorta… I can't. But I fucked around with it for a while. Good way to pass the time, I guess."

"Do you still play?" I inquired. I wasn't really listening though… more just taking in the atmosphere of the messy, scalding shack. He shook his head.

"Nah. No time. With all the running and… I dunno. Gave up on it." Silence took over again, but then out of the blue, he asked, "So how'd you survive?" I hated this question.

"Battery City. My sister and I lived there for a while. I mean, most everyone there survived during the bombs. They had their own uprising there and the meds started. We didn't take them and escaped eventually. But… we had to kill people. I hate it. I don't want anyone to die…" I whispered. Kobra Kid stared at his feet, silent a moment before responding.

"Yeah… My bro and I and Jet Star- he worked here too- all hid in the basement there. My parents were really avid about the end of the world and stocked it up with everything- food, emergency lights, even this weird bathroom thing that goes into the ground or something. It's like, lined with lead and shit. That's where we'll be sleeping tonight, by the way."

"What about your parents?"

"They… my mom didn't make it. My dad left when Poison and I were kids so he's probably dead. I don't care about him though. But my mom… She was out doing something…"

"I won't make you talk about it," I interrupted, sensing his unease on the topic. He stood and wandered a moment before mumbling about retrieving Party Poison. After his exit, I perused the room more, finding some interesting things. There was a microphone with a condom on it, several old paper coffee cups sitting round with butts of cigarettes in them, an old fashioned hand gun (ancient looking compared to seeing the ray guns everywhere)…

"Curiouser and curiouser," a voice said. I spun and saw my sister. "You can't be so nervous. You'll get killed that way, Hayley."

"Don't say my name."

"They're Killjoys too… And it's just us."

"You never know. So don't say it."

"My God, Hayley," she went right along, ignoring me blatantly, "This place is a wreck. What even _is-_" She tapped the microphone with its condom cover with the toe of her boot…

"I wouldn't go around touching their stuff, Lightning," I scolded. She shrugged and kicked it across the room. I could only shake my head at her.

"Oh, ya never know. You may be needing that for that Kobra Kid." She nodded towards the condom and gave me a wink. If she wasn't my sister, I would've shot her.

"You never were a respectable guest." I rolled my eyes, leaning up against the wall.

"Hell, what does it matter? We're all dead soon anyway."

**-Agent Wentz's POV-**

The four people blinked at me with blank stares. Naturally.

"Well?" one asked.

"Hmm… We should probably have introductions now, I guess," I started, "I'm Agent Wentz- or D20. You probably already know that. If not… well, there it is."

"What, are we moving around in a circle or something?" someone else asked sarcastically. I popped an eyebrow at him.

"Yes. That's exactly what I intend to do. Starting with you." He smirked, pleased by the banter.

"Agent Hurley. D31. And my favourite colour is pink."

"Is it. Good to know." I rolled my eyes and pointed to the next person.

"Agent Trohman. D17. Uh… I don't have a favourite colour so…" He raised his arms in a dramatic shrug and sunk backward in the chair.

"Agent Saporta. F33," the next introduced solemnly.

"Me? Oh. Um… Agent F… 27. Stump. Agent Stump." It was the same guy who had spoken out against Korse earlier. I smiled at him. Agent Hurley snickered, saying the name under his breath amusedly.

"No need to be nervous," I reassured him, ignoring the other. He offered no response and stared at his papers. I wondered when Korse would return to relieve me of the awkward atmosphere and tell me what the hell was going on?

In the mean time, I sat and though. _Agent Wentz_, I scolded myself silently in my head. _Agent!_ Such a hard, piercing word. Of course, they didn't know what I preferred to be called… what I was secretly called… If they knew, I'd be dead.

I wasn't any BLI "agent." I was a Killjoy. I was God Complex.


	5. Chapter 5

**-Chapter 5- Rip Wing's POV-**

"You're impossible." I chose to tune out my sister's sarcasm from that point. She kept on talking anyway, even though she knew I was ignoring her. I swear, that girl had schizophrenia or something.

The basement door swung open, and Jet Star emerged with a little girl. She grinned at my sister and me.

"Hi!" she greeted, showing both rows of pearly teeth.

"Sunshine, this is Rip Wing..." Jet Star motioned to me, "And her sister, Silent Lightening." The girl waved lightly and I smiled. She seemed genuinely happy... Odd. Lightening did not return the smile, but was not scowling… completely.

"Sup," she said simply, nodding her head. Our introduction wasn't anything too spectacular, because we were interrupted with the sudden entrance of Party Poison and Fun Ghoul. Lightening snickered and, sensing an unnecessary comment brewing, I jabbed her in the ribs with the butt of my gun. Thankfully, it shut her up.

"Since we've got more people… We should prolly get more supplies," Poison said matter-of-factly. We all knew what that meant. I felt Lightening tense beside me. I jabbed her again, but lighter this time.

"So that means…" I started faintly.

"Battery City," Jet Star finished, his mouth in a hard line. "I'll go with Kobra. You guys stay here."

"Just you two? _Alone_?" Lightening asked seriously. "I don't think so. _I'm_ coming with you, at least."

"No. Jet Star's right. Remember last time we went in a big group?" Fun Ghoul said. I silent moment passed between them, but I didn't ask.

"Alright, Star. Go get the Kid, wherever the hell he is. Are you taking the car?" Party Poison asked. Jet Star shook his head.

"I think this is better on foot." They ran this over with each other, and I listened quietly. Kobra Kid came up from the basement and they filled him in.

"Alright," Kobra nodded, checking his gun, "We should take Fremont."

"No," Poison interrupted, "Guano's faster." Kobra Kid wrinkled his expression.

"I think Fremont's probably…"

"The quicker you get this done, the better," Party Poison insisted. Kobra Kid shrugged, but didn't look at ease. Jet Star finished adjusting his gun and bandana.

"Alright," he said, tossing a bike helmet the Kobra Kid, "Let's hit Route Guano."

**-Agent Wentz's POV-**

_Glory, halleluiah, the awkwardness has ended_, I thought sarcastically as the heavy door clicked. Agent Korse entered dramatically, but didn't sit.

"D20. What is the stance?" he asked monotonously.

"I… sir?"

"Have you introduced your team?"

"Oh. Yes, sir."

"Good. You are to test them in the field right now."

"Sir?"

"You may take a car," he continued as if I'd said nothing, "Be back at eighteen hundred hours."

"Would you like a location, sir?" I asked. Korse thought for a moment.

"Surprise me." And that was that. He was gone. My new team faced me again with their dull expressions.

"Let's try Route Guano." I rolled my eyes. "There are plenty of cacti that you can practice shooting at," I suggested, standing. My crew remained seated though, eyes still glossily fixed on me. "That means put your damn masks on and _let's go_."


End file.
